The Archbishop of Cape Coast Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, Charles Angela Palmer-Buckle, has reiterated calls to Ghanaians to minimise expenditures on funerals, especially one-week observations, to reduce the huge burden on families to bid a loved one farewell. He suggested that parts of those expenditures could be channelled to taking care of dependents of the deceased or the destitute in society.
“This problem of huge expenditure on funerals has been hammered on various platforms and all networks wherever l go, to urge Ghanaians to be measured in their huge spending on funerals, which is to the detriment of children’s education,” he said.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said this when he addressed the Centenary Anniversary celebration of the Agona Swedru Saint Anthony Catholic Church at Swedru in the Central Region. He said he totally agreed with the Swedruman Counncil of Chiefs’ Bye-laws to cut down the huge expenditure on one-week observations and final funeral rites in the area.
The Council’s bye-laws are meant to reduce the burden on families, after losing their loved ones, to organise “big funerals” to signify their love for the deceased. The Archbishop commended the Council for the move and urged members of the Catholic Church to abide by those rules and regulations.
The Catholic Church had outlined a five-year programme aimed at taking evangelism to the doorstep of the people to win more souls for Christ. Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, encouraged Christians to do away with acts that went against Christianity and live lives worthy of emulation.
She congratulated the Saint Anthony Catholic Church for its 100 years of existence and urged the leaders to continue to support education and health, as well as help to fight bribery and corruption in the country.
Source: GNA
